Strike ace linked to Reds

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is being linked with a shock £12m bid for West Ham striker Carlton Cole when the transfer window opens.

The last thing West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola will want to do in the New Year is to lose his main threat up front, especially with the side in such a precarious position in the Premiership.

Finances continue to be talked about at Upton Park and if Reds boss Rafa Benitez comes in with a £12m offer, as has been reported, then that could be hard for the powers that be at West Ham to turn down.

Cole's performances for the Hammers have seen him become a regular in the England set up and the 26-year-old's stock has continued to rise so much so that Benitez is now thought to be considering a big offer as he looks to add to a front line that relies heavily on Fernando Torres.